THEAffective dependence and sexual dependence are two forms of behavioral dependence that can profoundly influence a person’s life. Although these two types of dependence can overlap in some aspects and processes, they have different and distinctive characteristics and dynamics.
What are the symptoms of emotional dependence?
Affective dependence occurs specifically with a excessive and dysfunctional need of another person to feel complete, satisfied or validated. Those who suffer from it tend to base the own personal value on the relationship with the other.
The main characteristics of emotional dependence are the following.
1. Fear of abandonment: constant and disabling anxiety deriving from the idea that the partner can leave.
2. Submission and sacrifice: willingness to put aside their needs to satisfy those of the other.
3. Idealization of the partneA: The partner is perceived as an indispensable for his own happiness and balance.
4. Low self -esteem: lack of self -confidence outside the relationship.
5. Emotional dependence: inability to feel good alone or make independent decisions.
Deep love or emotional and/or sexual dependence? (Getty Images)
What implies to have an emotional dependence?
The main consequences of emotional dependence are often mainly the following three:
There stay in toxic relationships or dysfunctional, sometimes even mistreating.
THE’insulation interpersonal and a not very wide and satisfactory social network.
Problems of mental healthsuch as depression, anxiety and panic.
What is sexual dependence?
Sexual dependence occurs through a obsessive ideation and a compulsive behavior characterized by‘inability to control sexual impulses, Despite the negative and disabling consequences that derive from it.
The main characteristics of sexual dependence are to be followed.
1. Compulsive research of sexual activities: for example through pornography, prostitution, sexting or multiple relationships.
2. Control loss: inability to interrupt the thought and behavior with sexual or erotic content even when they damage the individual, professional or social life of the individual.
3. Desensitization: growing need for more intense or risky ideas, fantasies, desires and sexual activities.
4. Emotional evasion: sex is used to escape negative emotions and feelings such as anxiety, sadness, anger, boredom, stress, frustration or loneliness.
5. Sense of guilt and shame: unpleasant emotions that often follow the compulsive act of a sexual nature.
What are the consequences of sexual dependence?
It is not easy to describe in a generic way the effects of this dependence, because it is varian or from person to person and from context to context. However, they can be summarized in this way:
Relational problems (for example betrayals or breaks in the couple relationship).
Economic dependence or legal problems (for example excessive expenses or indebtedness for escorts or pornography).
Unfavorable psychological impactsas a sense of emptiness, distrust, depression and social isolation.
What are the similarities and differences between emotional and sexual dependence
By comparing emotional dependence and sexual dependence we can understand some similarities and some differences between the two conditions:
Both involve a sense of inner void and the Search for an external element (relationship or sex that it is) to fill it.
They can have common rootssuch as insecure attachments, childhood trauma, abuse or lack of a model of healthy and functional love.
Both require Specific psychotherapeutic interventions to be able to exit them adequately.
Affective dependence is more focused on dysfunctional need of an emotional bondwhile sexual dependence mainly concerns thephysical impulse and behavioral out of control.
In emotional dependence sexuality may not be central; On the contrary, in sexual dependence sex, thought or acted, is the fundamental element.
When loving hurts, the book on emotional dependence
THE’Lovein its healthiest and most constructive manifestations, represents a profound and Innate human needand implies an important motivation and a safe and functional attachment to others. Vice versa, When love turns into habit to sufferuntil it becomes what is called a real “emotional dependence”, it places itself as a pain capable of bringing serious problems psychological, physical and relational.
In this condition, increasingly widespread in the contemporary world, the couple’s relationship is experienced as an indispensable prerequisite for one’s existence and this represents the antithesis of love towards oneself.
In this volume the author provides a thorough, complete and detailed examination of the emotional dependence, based on an exhaustive analysis of the scientific literature currently existing.
The goal is to provide the reader with a clear idea of what emotional dependence is, how it is conceptualized and how it can be manifested. In addition to his causes and strategies and intervention techniques to face it and overcome it.
The author
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